In the field of data communications, communications networks typically utilize techniques designed to maintain or improve the integrity of signals being transmitted via the network (“transmission signals”). To protect signal integrity, the communications networks should, at a minimum, satisfy compliance standards that are established by standards committees, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The compliance standards help network designers provide communications networks that achieve at least minimum levels of signal integrity as well as some standard of compatibility.
One prevalent type of communication system uses twisted pairs of wires to transmit signals. In twisted pair systems, information such as video, audio and data are transmitted in the form of balanced signals over a pair of wires. The transmitted signal is defined by the voltage difference between the wires. In twisted pair systems, telecommunications equipment is typically interconnected using wiring and jack-based systems of a variety of formats. One such format includes an array of telecommunications jacks, such as RJ-45 jacks. These jacks can be included in a telecommunications panel or other telecommunications equipment.
Telecommunications jacks in a telecommunications panel are typically arranged in a closely-spaced array to promote density of those jacks. For example, telecommunications jacks can be constructed to snap fit into a face of a panel in a closely-spaced, linear arrangement. However, the density of telecommunications jacks is limited due to the spacing necessary to support each telecommunications jack within the panel.
FIGS. 1-3 illustrate an array 10 of telecommunication jacks 12 useable within a prior art telecommunications panel. As illustrated, each jack generally has a housing 14 with a front 16, rear 18, top 20, bottom 22, and left and right sides 24, 26, respectively, The housing 14 includes a port 28 on the front 16 and configured to receive a twisted pair plug, such as an RJ-45 plug. The housing 14 also includes a rear 18 that includes a plurality of insulation displacement connectors 30 useable for connecting twisted pair wires thereto, and which connect to contact springs 32 within the port.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, each of the telecommunications jacks 12 includes features used to retain each jack within a panel. In the embodiment shown, the telecommunications jacks 12 each include a catch 34 on the bottom 22 and a retaining clip 36 on the top 20. The telecommunications jacks also include stop latches 38 positioned symmetrically on opposing sides 24, 26 of the housing 14.
In use, when a telecommunications jack 12 is inserted into a face of a telecommunications panel, that telecommunications panel will include an opening generally sized and shaped (e.g., rectangularly) to receive the telecommunications jack. An assembler of such a panel will insert a telecommunications jack 12 into the opening by positioning the catch 34 over a bottom edge of the opening, and pivoting the jack 12 upwards, thereby engaging the retaining clip 36 with a top edge of the opening. The stop latches 38 are positioned rearward of the catch 34, and brace against a rear side of the panel, limiting forward movement of the telecommunications jack (i.e., preventing the jack from falling forward out of the face of a telecommunications panel.
Although each telecommunications jack 12 is independently retained and closely spaced to adjacent jacks, the density with which such jacks can be installed in a telecommunications panel is limited in the horizontal direction. First, density is limited by the thickness of the stop latches 38. Secondly, because stop latches 38 on a telecommunications jack are positioned along sizes 24, 26 in a symmetrical configuration, the stop latches are typically placed adjacent one another when the total distance between two adjacent telecommunications jacks 12 can be, at a minimum, twice the width of one stop latch. Accordingly, density of telecommunications jacks in a telecommunications panel is substantially limited.